JAPAN A PARTNER IN RECOVERY EFFORT
Businesses are looking forward to contributing to postCovid-19 economic recovery in Malaysia
ON June 10, Malaysia entered the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) phase. This is another milestone development which demonstrates Malaysia’s globally-recognised success in containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, and I would like congratulate the leadership of the Malaysian government for this achievement.
I also congratulate Malaysians on their solidarity and self-discipline that made this achievement possible. The Covid-19 situation in Japan has also been stabilising, with the nationwide state of emergency lifted on May 25. In Japan, people have been diligently avoiding the so-called “Three Cs” — Closed spaces with poor ventilation, Crowded places with many people nearby, and Close-contact settings, such as close-range conversations.
In the “new normal”, behavioural change to avoid the “Three Cs” is important to protect the people. I am happy to see avoidance of the “Three Cs” being practised around the world, including in Malaysia, to curb the spread of the virus.
Japan and Malaysia have been closely collaborating to contain the spread of Covid-19. The contribution by the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), established in 2011 with Japanese development assistance as a centre of excellence in technology research, is a case in point.
Face shields manufactured by cutting-age three dimensional printers in MJIIT are put to use for the protection of medical frontliners. Lieutenant Colonel Mohd Zubir Mohd Juzad at the Malaysia Civil Defence Force, who has led efforts in developing anti-Covid-19 standard operating procedures, as well as setting up and managing quarantine stations, is a graduate of MJIIT’s Master of Disaster Risk Management programme.
MJIIT is the culmination of long-lasting bilateral cooperation under the Look East Policy, which was launched in 1981. The significance of Japanese developmental cooperation lies in the prioritisation of human resource development. For instance, there are nine Japanese professors teaching at MJIIT, sharing stateof-the-art Japanese engineering expertise.
Under the Look East Policy, more than 17,000 Malaysians studied in Japan and they are now playing leading roles in Malaysia. Their presence gives a unique strength to the friendship between Japan and Malaysia. We will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the policy next year.
To accelerate global efforts to develop medicines and vaccines to fight Covid-19, Japan joined in April the World Health Organisation-led initiative, “Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator”, together with Malaysia. I support Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s remarks at its launch that no one should be left behind from vaccines. Japan shares his aspirations and looks forward to further cooperation with Malaysia in international fora.
To support Asean’s initiative to enhance infectious disease surveillance and response capabilities, Prime Minister ShinzOEo Abe announced at the Special Asean+3 Summit on Covid-19 on April 14 that Japan would support the establishment of an Asean centre for emerging diseases and public health emergencies.
Both Japan and Malaysia are striving to achieve economic recovery while maintaining public health and safety. Japanese businesses are looking forward to contributing to the post-Covid-19 economic recovery in Malaysia. I would like to humbly stress here that Japan was Malaysia’s largest investor last year, accounting for more than one-third of foreign direct investment inflows.
Approximately 1,400 Japanese companies in Malaysia are producing over 340,000 jobs for Malaysians in the manufacturing sector alone. In fact, Japanese companies are willing to expand business operations here by bringing in new investment and technologies to solidify Malaysia’s status as a hub for global supply chains.
From this standpoint, I commend the timely announcement by the Malaysian government of a series of economic assistance measures, including the National Economic Recovery Plan, which are giving much-needed assistance to businesses, including incentives for manufacturers to invest in Malaysia.
Having discovered the unexpected convenience and efficiency in the tele-work experiences during the MCO periods, I believe the transition to the “new normal” would present a unique opportunity to transform our economies and social life. Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things would be the key to this transformation and I foresee further engagements of Japan, as a frontrunner in science and technology, in Malaysia in the postCovid-19 period.
As ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, I will do my utmost to bring the peoples of both countries even closer, with their hands joined, to move forward towards the stability and economic recovery of the post-Covid-19 world.